A walk with the Arishok
by TheCareBear
Summary: Zara Hawke, the would-be champion of Kirkwall, has made several visits to the Qunari compound over the years. Sometimes she comes for business, but mostly she comes to talk and the Arishok cannot find it in his heart to push her away. One-shot.


**I own Zara, all else to Bioware.**

 **A/N...**

 **Hi there. So, this is gonna be some more set up for a future DA saga that branches into Inquisition. I'm already playing through that to set up everything for the 'main character' even though its gonna be an AU :P**

 **Please read, rate, and review.**

 **Warning: Crying and minor kissing.**

* * *

It is late. The pale moon hangs high in the sky. She does not know why she is here, her feet moved her on their own and her voice spoke without her commanding it. While she does have wealth, she lost her family along the way. Bethany is dead in the deep roads and her mother killed by a crazed blood mage; Zara Hawke is alone.

"I have come to see the Arishok," she states to the gate guard. The Qunari standing guard nods his head and opens the gate, ushering her inside. The compound is quiet save for the flickering flames crackling about the camp. Zara walks through the camp, making her way towards the impromptu greeting hall, where she met with the Arishok on many occasions. Only this time, he was not there.

Casting her eyes about, Zara spots him standing a few feet away from her, staring out over the docks with his hands folded behind his back. Stalking up to him quiet as a mouse, she stands next to him, staring quietly out at the dockyard and the ocean beyond.

"Hawke," he rumbles out, his deep voice piercing the silence surrounding them.

"Arishok," she responds in kind, her voice flitting like leaves dancing in the breeze.

The two of them stand in silence for an insurmountable amount of time, before the Arishok turns and motions at Zara. "Come. Walk with me, Basalit-an." He turns on his head and begins to head towards the gate without bothering to see if Zara would follow. She quickly does and jogs to keep up with the long stride of the Arishok. Together, they walk in silence as they leave the compound—with an accompanying honour guard—and stalk the docks. After several minutes, Zara glances over at the Arishok and opens her mouth, only to close it again and glance away.

"Speak," Arishok says as he glances at Zara.

Nodding her head, Zara bites her bottom lip and glances at the Arishok again. "May I ask you a question?"

"Asking to ask? Either ask or don't. There is no point in asking to ask," the Arishok rumbles out, looking over at Zara once more.

"Right," Zara mumbles and sighs, bringing a hand up to rub her forehead. "What does the Qun say about death?"

The Arishok's eyebrows rise slightly, mildly surprised by Zara's question. "It says that death is inevitable. To try and fight it is useless. All things die and to say otherwise is to invite disorder and wastefulness."

Zara nods her head again. "I see." Silence envelops them again and they slowly continue their walk. However the silence is soon broken by Zara's voice again. "I ask about death, because I've been suffering lately." She stops walking and looks away, biting her lower lip. "It seems that wherever I go, Death follows," she mumbles. She turns back to the Arishok, seeing that he has stopped walking and is staring at her intently.

"I-I've lost everyone," she says, her voice cracking and her eyes watering. "I lost Carver to the Blight, Bethany to the Deep Roads, and my Mother to a blood mage. I have no family left." Placing a hand over her mouth, Zara gasps and begins to cry in earnest. She sinks to her knees, the loss of her family catching up with her. She buried their deaths to keep it from breaking her mind. But now that the moment has passed and the weight of the Arishok's glare pounding down on her, the mental barriers she established have come crashing down.

Zara is lost in her grief, not hearing the rustling of fabric around her. It is only when strong arms wrap around her that she looks up into the solemn face of the Arishok. With a rumble from him, Zara buries her face into his chest and her hands grab hold of his armour. Her cries can be heard along the docks as even the massive frame of the Arishok cannot muffle the anguish that has built up. Not knowing how to help the human further, the Arishok simply holds her in his grasp, letting her pour out her soul.

They stay like this for several moments, until Zara's tears stop flowing. She loosens her grip on the Qunari leader and pulls back. Wiping away her now running makeup, she sniffs and says, "Thank you." To which the Arishok stands and replies with a deep rumble. They stand looking out over the docks, watching the ships bob up and down in rhythm of the waves. Zara turns towards the Arishok and opens her mouth, but is cut off when he beings to speak.

"In Qunari culture, we do not have families in the human sense of the word. Each other Qunari are our comrades; a bond that goes deeper than blood relations. You would call them family." Turning towards Zara, the Arishok stares deep into her eyes, trying to get his meaning across. "Do not be upset because you have lost your blood relations. Regardless of what you may think, you still have a family in your comrades."

Blinking, Zara breaks eyes contact and looks down at her feet. "You're right. I was just lost in my grief that I never realized that. I am a fool."

The Arishok rumbles softly. "No, Hawke, you are many things, but you are no fool."

Zara smirks. "Hey," she says turning back towards the Arishok, "since I hang out here so much, does that mean we are family too?"

Glancing over at her, he shakes his head. "We are not family."

Blinking, Zara nods. "If not family, then lovers then?" Now, the Arishok is not a man to be surprised by most things. However, with Zara's question, the powerful leader of Qunari forces gapes his mouth like a fish out of water. He turns towards her with a surprised look on his face and is greeted with the grinning face of Zara. Narrowing his eyes, the Arishok turns away and grumbles to himself. Laughing loudly, Zara looks up at the turned face of the Arishok. Standing on the tips of her toes, she uses his arm to lean on and plants a quick kiss on his silver cheek. "Thank you, Arishok," she whispers to him. Settling back down, she wipes him off and skips back up the path, heading back towards her home.

Turning his head, the Arishok watches her go, his eyes dancing along her features. Sighing, he turns back towards the water with eyes unfocused as he tries to understand the sudden heaviness in his heart.


End file.
